In the first hour of a flash flood inside a home, stop the entry if it is safe, keep clear of the water and its electrical equipment, photograph the water and the damage, and start extraction before the water soaks the framing. Albuquerque Water Damage Restoration answers 24/7 and sends a local technician as soon as one is free.
Key takeaways
- Keep clear of moving water and of any water that is touching electrical equipment, and do not walk into flood water to reach a breaker.
- Stopping the entry, if it can be done safely, comes before the cleanup, because more water will otherwise keep soaking the building.
- Photographs of the water line, the entry point and the damage should be taken before anything is moved.
- Standing water is removed before it soaks into carpet, pad, drywall and framing, which is why extraction starts first.
- Flood water can carry mud, debris and contamination, and it is handled as storm water first on every job.
- A technician is sent as soon as one is free, and the call taker cannot promise an arrival time during a large storm.
What is the first thing to do when water comes in?
The first thing is to keep yourself out of the water and away from electrical equipment. Stop the entry if it can be closed safely, and call Albuquerque Water Damage Restoration on the 24/7 line. The call taker will explain the steps that can be taken before the technician arrives.
Do not walk into moving water, and do not wade into a flooded room that may hide an open drain, a loose board or a downed line. If a light, an outlet or a panel is in the water, leave the room, and switch the power off at the panel only if you can reach the panel without standing in water.
Then call. Say where the water came in, how high it reached, whether it is still rising and whether any electrical equipment is in it. Those answers shape the order of the job and tell the technician what to bring.
How do I stop the entry safely?
Water often enters at a garage door, a low threshold, a back door or a window well. A sandbag, a board or a sill can sometimes slow or stop it, but only if it can be placed without going into moving water. If the entry cannot be closed safely, leave it and move the valuables away from it.
A sandbag or a board placed across a threshold can keep water out of a room for a while, but it is not a permanent fix, and it can fail under pressure. Do not place it in a way that puts you in the water or near an outlet.
Window wells can fill with runoff quickly. If a well is filling, keep the window closed and move anything stored beside it. The technician records the entry and the route the water took, so the next storm can be prepared for.
What should I photograph before anything is moved?
Photograph the water line on the walls, the entry point, the standing water and the damage to the floor, with a wide shot of each room. Take the photographs before you move anything, and keep the time stamps, because they are the first record of the loss.
The water line is the mark a flood leaves on the walls and the door frames. It shows how high the water reached, and a photograph with a known object beside it shows the depth in a way that is easy to understand later.
Take close photographs of the damage as well: the stained baseboard, the lifted floor and the wet boxes. A set of wide and close shots, taken in order, is the strongest starting point for the insurer, and it costs nothing but a few minutes.
Why does extraction have to start before the water soaks in?
Water that stands on a floor soaks into carpet pad, drywall and the subfloor within hours, and each hour adds work. Extraction removes the standing water before it can soak further, which protects the framing and reduces the materials that have to be removed.
A floor that is wet on top is also wet underneath. Carpet and pad hold water and spread it sideways, and drywall wicks water up the wall. Once those materials are saturated, they lose the fiber that holds them, and they usually have to come out.
The technician removes the standing water with pumps and wet vacuums, lifts carpet at the seams where water has sat and checks the subfloor. The drying is set up once the standing water is out, and the readings are recorded for each room.
Can I start the cleanup myself?
You can do a few safe steps, such as moving valuables up and out of the water and keeping people and pets away. Water removal should be left to a technician, because flood water can carry contamination and the equipment needs to be used safely.
A household vacuum is not built for water, and a wet vacuum with a cord in standing water can shock the person holding it. Mopping pushes water into seams and under baseboards, where it is harder to find later.
Towels are useful in the first minute, to catch water at the edge of a spill and keep it from reaching a wall. Past that point, the work needs equipment and readings, and the technician brings both.
What about mud and debris?
Mud and debris that flood water leaves behind are removed before drying, because they hold moisture and can hide damage underneath. They can also carry contamination, and they are handled with gloves and boots until the area is cleared.
A storm can leave a layer of silt on the floor and a clear line on the walls above it. The silt is removed before the drying starts, and the line is photographed first, so that the depth of the water is recorded.
Debris that has been in the water, such as leaves, gravel and paper, is removed and bagged. The technician records what was removed and keeps the list for the insurer.
What should I do after the first hour?
After the first hour, keep the building closed off from the wet area, keep people and pets out, and wait for the technician. Do not close up wet walls or cover wet floors, and keep the photographs and any notes you made in one place.
A storm can bring more water after the first rush, so keep checking the entry points and the drains until the rain has stopped. If new water appears, call again and tell the call taker what has changed.
Keep a written note of the times: when the water arrived, when it was stopped, when the technician came and when the work was finished. That note, with the photographs, makes the record easier to share with the insurer.
When should I leave the house instead of staying?
Leave the house if water is rising inside it, if it has reached an outlet or a panel that you cannot avoid, or if the building feels unsafe to stand in. Staying put is reasonable only when the water is shallow, stable and away from electrical equipment.
The reason to leave is safety, not the belongings. Water can rise faster than expected in a storm, and a room that has water across the floor can hide a step, a loose board or a cord. If you leave, keep the door closed behind you to slow the spread of water and dust.
If you cannot leave safely, move to the highest dry room, keep away from the water and call. The call taker can help you decide what to do while the crew is on the way, and that call is worth making even if you have decided to stay.
What happens when the technician arrives?
The technician makes the building safe, checks the power and the water source, and then starts the extraction. The first hour of the job is spent on safety and on stopping the spread, and the drying is set up once the standing water is out.
The technician walks the building and marks the wet area on a sketch. The readings are taken in the floor, the walls and the framing, so the extent of the water is clear before the equipment is placed. The owner is shown the sketch and the readings.
Standing water is removed next, followed by the lifting of carpet where the water has been held. The owner is told which materials can be kept and which will come out, and the reason is given. The record is kept from the first reading onward.
Frequently asked questions
Should I go out to check the street during a flood?
No. Moving water can carry debris and can sweep a person off their feet, and a hidden drain or a downed line may be under it. Stay inside, away from the water, and watch the entry points from a safe place.
How fast does water soak into a floor?
Water can reach the subfloor within hours, and carpet pad can hold it for longer. The exact time depends on the material and the depth, which is why the standing water is removed as soon as it can be reached.
What if the power is still on in the flooded room?
Leave the room and keep clear of the water. Switch off the power at the panel only if you can reach it without standing in water. If in doubt, leave the power on and wait for the technician, who can switch it off safely.
Will the insurer want the photographs?
Insurers commonly ask for photographs and a record of the water, the entry and the damage. Keep the originals with their time stamps. This guide does not say what a policy covers, and the insurer decides that.
How long will it take a technician to arrive?
A local technician is sent as soon as one is free. During a large storm many homes may need help at once, so no arrival time is promised. The call taker explains the steps to take while the crew is on the way.
Is flood water always contaminated?
Flood water is treated with caution from the start, because it can carry soil, waste and debris. How it is handled depends on its source and on how long it stood, and the technician makes that call on site and explains it.
Sources
- National Weather Service Albuquerque, flash flood warnings
- National Weather Service Albuquerque, North American monsoon maps
This guide is general information for Bernalillo County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.